Oman TV Selects Ikegami HDK-73 And Hi-Motion II Cameras

Ikegami HDK-73 3-CMOS high dynamic range camera systems plus a Hi-Motion II slow-motion camera have been chosen by Oman TV for integration with an outside broadcast production vehicle.

Operating from Oman TV's headquarters in the capital city, Muscat, the newly enhanced vehicle will be deployed for live coverage of sports, cultural and news-related events throughout the sultanate. The equipment was supplied by Ikegami Electronics Europe via local integrator Al Nemer Al Aswad, based in Muscat.

"This investment forms part of a technology upgrade designed to maximise production quality and operational versatility," comments the senior engineer of the OB vehicle department at Oman TV. "We have had very good experience with Ikegami equipment over the years, both in terms of product specification and proven reliability, backed by a high level of support from the Ikegami ME team.

"The HDK-73's ability to capture high dynamic range video has particularly strong potential for OB production where camera operators have to handle a very high difference in brightness between sunlit sky and shaded areas of locations such as sports arenas.

"Ikegami has provided six HDK-73 cameras which can be pedestal mounted for use with long-range telescopic lenses, tripod mounted in specific locations or shoulder-mounted for informal close-ups such as interviews with players. We have also integrated Ikegami BS-98 optical-fibre transmission links to OCP-300 operator control panels inside the vehicle.

"Supplementing the HDK-73 cameras, the Hi-Motion II allows us to capture images at up to 1,000 frames per second for slow-motion replay. It also provides full remote control plus flicker-suppression and paint."

"We are pleased that Oman TV has chosen Ikegami cameras again for its live production," says Ikegami business development manager Asim Saeed. "As a company, we are committed to ensuring that any investment in our cameras helps broadcasters adapt to shifting broadcast market dynamics with the flawless addition of new products. Ikegami has deep knowledge of the markets which it serves and has built up a strong foundation of customer trust by providing high quality products and local support."

Ikegami's HDK-73 is a dockable multi-role high-definition camera designed for standard-dynamic-range and high-dynamic-range broadcast production. It is available as complete system including CCU, connecting fibre, viewfinder and remote control. Image capture is to 2/3-inch 2.6 megapixel CMOS sensors, each capable of capturing full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution images with an extremely wide dynamic range of more than 600%, high sensitivity (F13 at 50 Hz) and high signal-to-noise ratio.

The HDK-73's sensors natively support 1080i/59.94 and 1080i/50, as well as 720p/59.94 and 720p/50 scan formats. Major features include full digital signal processing, advanced digital detail correction with independent horizontal and vertical correction of red, green and blue signals, and optional anti-moiré filtering. Hybrid log gamma processing is operator-selectable for HDR picture origination, enabling high-contrast scenes to be televised with full picture detail across the entire brightness range from highlights to shaded areas. Full digital signal handling is performed by a processor operating at up to 38 bit depth.

The HDK-73's dockable structure allows studio configuration with fibre base stations as well as self-contained operation with a camera adapter for wireless or onsite recording applications. A fibre adapter can be attached directly to the camera head without need for external cables. External devices such as wireless transmission or a solid state recorder can be attached for stand-alone operation, making the camera suitable for live sports, news gathering or field production. Customers can choose between three high performance viewfinders: a 2 inch LCD monocular, a 7.4 inch direct-view OLED or 7 inch LCD viewfinder.

Jointly developed by NAC Image Technology and Ikegami, the Hi-Motion II delivers broadcast-quality slow-motion images at up to 20 times slowdown. The camera employs three 1920 x 1080 resolution CMOS sensors and has a broadcast industry standard B4 lens mount. Features include simultaneous record and replay (96 gigabytes), up to 1,000 frames per second 1920 x 1080 capture, integral shutter, full remote control with paint, flicker suppression, and EVS system compatibility via an LSM panel.

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